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Tracy Mastaler

Tracy K possesses the charisma, talent, stage presence and versatility instinctive of great performers. Whether it's blues, swing, jazz, roots or folk, vintage or contemporary, lead or harmony vocals or harmonica for a wide variety of projects, Tracy K has earned her valued reputation as a respected musician. It's her amazing voice that first captivates - a hallmark ranging from raspy Janis Joplin to buttery Karen Carpenter, if you can imagine that! Fans have experienced Tracy K fronting her own projects, singing harmonies with other artists, and as a featured vocalist at special events over the years. She keeps busy on a wide variety of musical projects locally, and likes to tour as a four piece band or acoustic duo. Her music has taken her from Canada to the Caribbean as a stand-alone attraction and on playbills with other greats. Well known on the Canadian Blues scene, Tracy K’s talents have earned multiple awards and she is notably Canada's first female to be named 'Harmonica Player of the Year'.

Her original "Right Hand Band" (a four piece rockin' blues and roots-rock project fortified by the rarity of a female delivering show stopping amplified blues harp) formed in 2000 was nominated as “Best Electric Act” in 2006 by Winnipegblues.com and have appeared in two Hollywood movies. Tracy K was selected to showcase at the 2008 Toronto Blues Summit with this band who deliver her originals and choice covers of Chicago, Texas and West Coast flavor colored with jazz and early rock influences. “Fans have been asking for the return of Tracy K and her Right Hand Band since they leveled the joint during her 2003 appearance at the festival. Her blues harp style and Joplin- esque vocals make her a must-see!” - Gary Krochak, the Regina Leader Post, 2007.

She also performs acoustic, traditional real folk blues with duo partner Jamie “Snakeman” Steinhoff on slide, dobro, and fingerstyle guitar. He lends his gritty baritone to the mix with great song choices from the 1920s on. They were solicited for a private performance in the Carribean as well as co- written and performed an epigrammatic tribute song, “This Axe is Your Axe” for CBC’s Jowi Taylor’s Six String Nation Guitar tour. The duo has shared workshop stages and concert billings with the likes of John Sebastian, Bill Bourne and Tim Williams to name a few. They were notably very well received at their 2008 Ontario Contact showcase. Tracy K is also a commendable jazz singer, whose repertoire of swing and bluesy jazz can be heard in duo with her guitarist Tony Desmarteau, and expanded to trio, quartet and full jazz band formats with various players. She recently performed as a quartet to a standing room only crowd, and ended with two standing ovations.

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"Thunder Bay's Tracy K wowed the crowd at the Blues Summit with her engaging stage presence and a killer band and this summer she makes her way back to Southern Ontario." - Maple Blues magazine May 2009

"Fans have been asking for the return of Tracy K and her Right Hand Band since she levelled the joint during her 2003 appearance at the festival. Her blues harp style and Joplin-esque vocals make her a must-see!"- Gary Krochak, the Regina Leader Post, 2007

"...a million voices seem to be trapped in that tiny little instrument and Tracy seems to know how to exorcise them in front of wowed crowds every time I see her play

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